All riding Surly LHTs with Rohloff Speedhubs. And how do they survive on our roads - they're not wearing helmets !!!

Ah, after chatting with police later they must have decided to wear them

I'm more worried about their crazy timing for this tour - entering Central Australia in December. They must have surely already experienced the outback's extreme summer heat now, after that week of 40+C that they had in Birdsville. I was there in late September and early October and would much rather travel through in July. Wonder what they'll do in the Top End in January

Riding bikes in traffic - what seems dangerous is usually safe; what seems safe is often more dangerous.

I imagine that on a World Tour you often lack the choice of when to go through a region. I also imagine that these guys will be used to all sorts of adversity and will just keep spinning on through. I think wet season touring in the Top End could be done, but you'd have to be pretty adaptable. I struggled on my last tour in Southern Japan during their build up, and eventually gave up a week early, but I wasn't on an endless journey.